JOHN OF SAINT THOMAS. - Dominican theologian, b. in Lisbon of the noble Poinso family on 9 July 1589, d. at Fraga (Aragon) on 15 June 1644. He studied letters at Coimbra (1605) and theology at Louvain (1606-1609). Having entered religious life at Madrid on 18 July 1610, he wished to be called a Sancto Thoma, in homage to the Aquinate. He taught at Madrid and Plasencia (1620-25), then was regent at the Studium of St. Thomas at Alcalá, where he formed a friendship with Pedro de Tapia; in 1630 the afternoon chair of the University of Alcalá was entrusted to him and in 1641 also the primary chair. Two years later, King Philip IV summoned him to Madrid as confessor and counsellor.

From 1632 to '36 he wrote the individual parts that make up the Cursus philosophicus Thomisticus (9 vols., Rome 1637-38). His Cursus theologicus too, first published separately (in 7 vols. from 1637 to 1657), was republished all together (Lyons 1663). Subsequently an eighth volume was added to it (De Sacramentis, Paris 1667). The whole Cursus was reissued at Cologne (1711), at Paris (1883) and recently by the Benedictines of Solesmes (vols. I-IV, Paris 1931-46). Great success was also obtained by his catechism 'Explicacion de la doctrina christiana' (Madrid 1640).

G. di S. T., highly esteemed for the holiness of his life, is as regards doctrine one of the greatest Thomists. The treatises he develops most fully are those on the nature of theology, human freedom, reflexive knowledge, the obediential power and the sanctification of the Blessed Virgin. His treatise on the gifts of the Holy Spirit is classic.

Bibliography9 works

BIBL.: Quétif-Echard, II, pp. 538-39; M. Menéndez y Pelayo, Historia de las ideas estéticas en España, II, Madrid 1884, pp. 193-202, 207; T. Trapiello, J. de S. T. y sus obras, Oviedo 1889; V. Bertran de Heredia, La enseñanza de santo Tomas en la Universidad de Alcalá, in La ciencia tomista, 14 (1916, II), p. 267 ff.; J. M. Ramirez, s. v. in DThC, VIII, coll. 803-808; B. Lavaud, J. de S. T., in La vie spirituelle, 14 (1926), pp. 387-418; cf. preface to the Cursus theologicus (life, works, ancient biographies and other documents), Paris 1931, pp. 111-1011; E. Sauros, La divina y la natural en la teología según J. de S. T., in La ciencia tomista, 69 (1945), pp. 21-27 (this whole volume of La ciencia tomista contains articles on particular points of the doctrine of G. di S. T.); M. García Fernández, La gracia como participación de la divina naturaleza en J. de S. T. y lugar que a éste corresponde en la tradición tomista, ibid., 70 (1916), pp. 209-30.

Alfonso D'Amato

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John of Saint Thomas

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